A chocolate Labrador’s first meeting with his newborn sibling has melted hearts across the internet.
Shannon Moran (@shanmckmoran) shared a video showing her dog, Dudley, gently sniffing the family’s new baby while the infant is cradled in their dad’s arms. Dudley then walks away—only to return moments later carrying his beloved IKEA orangutan plush and presenting it to his new human sibling. The sweet clip has since racked up 49,200 likes and 277,100 views on Instagram.
“Here’s the full clip of Dudley meeting our baby for the first time and showing him his @IKEA orangutan,” Moran wrote.
Another video shows a series of Dudley with his favorite plushie, comparing it to the toy’s new viral fame as Punch the monkey’s best friend. Punch is a baby Japanese macaque living at Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan who went viral earlier this year after being filmed clinging to an IKEA DJUNGELSKOG orangutan plush.
Zookeepers gave Punch the toy for comfort after he was rejected by his mother, and videos of the monkey carrying it everywhere quickly captured global attention.
Animal experts say calm, supervised introductions—like Dudley’s—are key when bringing a newborn home to a dog. The UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine advises allowing dogs to sniff from a safe distance, maintaining routines, and never leaving a dog and baby unattended.
Labradors are widely known for their friendly, gentle temperaments and are often described as affectionate, eager to please, and especially good with children, making them a popular family dog.
Viewers were quick to react in the comments.
“Wait that is Punch’s monkey,” said one user.
“You guys think baby will like this? It’s my favorite. Is it ok? Yeah?!! Ok. I give to baby,” wrote Rebecca, imagining the dog’s internal monologue.
“Was there happy Labrador snorts too?” shared Abbi.
“Every dog needs a kid and every kid needs a dog,” added another commenter.
“When my baby cries, my yellow lab brings him her favorite toy (a giraffe). Dogs are the best,” shared another.
“We truly don’t deserve these beautiful animals,” wrote one user.
Newsweek reached out to @shanmckmoran for comment via TikTok. We could not verify the details of the case.
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